Flooring and ceiling.



' No. 639.544, Patented Dec. Isa/1899.

H. c. w. WEYHE, Decd.

A. P. ELTEN. Administrator.

FLOORING AND CEILING.

(Application filed Dec. 80, 1897.)

(No Model.)

INVENTOR;

\AIITNESSES= HERMANN CHRISTIAN WILHELM WEYHE, UECEAS ED,

K /jM/4 ADM ms RAT0R,ATTORNEYI UNITED STATES PATENT trio.

ALFRED P. ELTEN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ADMINISTRATOR OF I-IERMANNCHRISTIAN WILHELM \VEYHE, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO CARL B. T. \VILCKENS, OFBREMEN, GERMANY.

FLOORING AND CEILING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 639,544, datedDecember 19, 1899.

Application filed December 39, 1897. Serial No. 664,680 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that HERMANN CHRISTIAN WIL- HELM WEYHE, deceased, late acitizen and a resident of Bremen, in the Empire of Germany, did invent anew and useful Flooring and Ceiling, (patented in Germany May S, 1895,No. 81,135, and'September 4, 1895, No. 82,941,) of which the followingisa full, true, and exact description.

This invention relates to floor and ceiling constructions of afire-resisting nature; and the object of the improvement is to increasethe load-bearing capacity of such floors in a simple and rationalmanner, and more particularly to obtain a floor and ceiling constructionpossessing a higher degree of elasticity than is found with otherconstructions of a similar nature in addition to satisfactoryload-bearing propensities. This is accomplished by providing curvedbars, in this specification named arch-bars, in the floorformingmaterial, substantially as set forth in the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1represents a transverse sectional view of a detached floor-span formedby'metallic girders or beams and provided with an arch-bar of the kindabove referred to. Fig. 2 illustrates the application ofi such bars inpairs. Fig. 3 shows still another application of said bars byalternating arch and inverted arch-bars. Figs. 4, 5, and 6,respectively, represent longitudinal sections of the different floorconstructions shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

Like letters of reference denote like parts in the drawings andspecification.

Such arch-bars are formed of metal, preferably iron rods, flat bands, orsimilar pieces of any suitable cross-section, curved to a degree aboutas shown in the drawings. It is apparent that to a certain extent themore a bar of this description is curved the more weight the same cansupport. It is therefore advisable to curve sucharch-bars to as great anextent as is practicable and as the thickness of the floor or ceilingwill admit. These arch-bars are placed in the joints a of the floor andceiling forming material B, single or in pairs, as shown in Figs. 1 and2, 4 and 5, should sectional material, as bricks, stones, or

similar blocks of mineral or any other fire-resisting matter, beemployed, or one arch-bar A may be used to two or more inverted archbarsA, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, or there may be more arch-bars and fewerinverted arch-bars. 1

Where the floor and ceiling is formed of a mass applied in a plasticstate the arch-bars of the required number and arranged for best effectare placed in position and the floorforming material applied between thearchbar, supporting-beams, girders, or walls, and about and around thearch-bars in such a manner as to completely cover and incase or envelopsaid arch-bars.

It is a well-known fact that upwardly-curved arch-bars are capable ofoffering a greater resistance to pressure from above than straighthorizontal bars or rods-this especially when subjected to sudden violentstrains, as would be ca used by heavy objects like safes, beams, 830.,falling onto a floor in case of a fire. In such instances afire-resisting floor construction possessing a maximum degree ofelasticity will be most desirable. To obtain, however, the best possibleresults, it is essential that not only these arch-bars should beprevented from moving sidewisethat is, horizontally-4n a direction atright angles to the arch-bar, but that they are also thoroughly unitedwith the floor-forming material. The first is effected by'makiug thejoints of the floor and ceiling forming material into which arch-barsare laid as narrow as practicable, while to secure intimate contact ofall parts of the floor and ceiling a mortar or cement of satisfactoryadhesive qualities is applied between all parts.

When employing only upwardlycurved arch-bars in constructing floorsaccording to this invention, there is a tendency of the archbars tolengthen to an extent depending on the load sustained by the floor,resulting in a lateral strain against the supporting beams 0r girders orequivalent, which strain need not necessarily be detrimental orto beavoided. Should, however, these floor-supports not possess the requisitestability and strength to properly withstand all lateral strains towhich they may be subjected, or should it be deemed inexpedient tosubject the floor-sup porting beams or girders or equivalent to anylateral strains atall, then downwardly as well as upwardly curved barscombined are placed and embedded in the floor-forming material, in thejoints or otherwise, as above alluded to. By combining in theconstruction of a floor downwardly and upwardly curved bars with thesectional or other floor-forming material, all parts in intimate contactand thoroughly held together through the medium of a mortar or cement,the whole becomes a rigid plate or platform of superior load-bearingcapacity and possessing a maximum degree of elasticity. Furthermore, alllateral strains will practically be eliminated, since the forcesappearing at the downwardly-curved bars not only act in a diiferentdirection as those appearing at the upwardly-curved bars, but neutralizeor equalize the latter, in consequence of which only strains in adownward direction are received by the floor-supports. I Referring toFigs. 1 and 4, arch-bars A are shown placed in the joints a of sectionalmaterial or blocks B, the bars reaching from one girder across to theother. In Figs. 2 and 5 inverted arch-bars A have been added toarch-bars A, one of each being placed in every joint a. In Figs. 3 and 6each joint a receives only one bar, either an upwardly or a downwardlycurved one. Ordinarily such a combination of arch-bars A and invertedarchbars A will afford greatest resistance to pres sure or load for agiven expenditure in iron. Inverted arch-bars A can also be employedwithout upwardly-curved arch-bars where it should be desirable that thelower surface of floor extends somewhat below lower parts of supportingbeams or girders to enable the coverin g up and protecting these girdersagainst fire. In an arrangement of this description the middle part ofthe inverted arch-bar A being very near to the lower surface of' thefloor the latter is materially strengthened.

Having thus fully shown and described the invention, what is claimed asnew, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In fireproof floor and ceiling constructions the combination ofI-beams or girders, sectional building material, curved metallic barsplaced alternately in reverse position in the transverse joints of saidmaterial and a suitable cement for said material and bars, substantiallyas and for the p nrpose described.

2. In fireproof Iiooringand ceiling construction the combination withI-beams oi continuous building material, curved metallic bars embeddedalternately, in reverse position, at suitable distance apart in saidmaterial, substantially in the manner as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ALFRED P. ELTEN,

Administrator of the estate of .FIGTITLGTHZ Christian l Vtlhelm l Veyhe,deceased.

\Vitnesses: I

A. R. BULLOCK, BERNH. F. EIBLER.

